Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3000 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced children and young people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory opportunity for Care Experienced young people across Scotland; we work alongside corporate parents and communities of all sorts to broaden understanding; we work with policy makers, leaders and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice on the basis of all that can be learnt from the voices of those with experience of care - working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

The post holder will work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy role, and within participation and group activity across our West Central region. This unique role requires you to listen to what children and young people with experience of care say and support them to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard in the processes of making decisions about their lives. You will also help facilitate a broad range of participatory and engagement opportunities and create the conditions for collective advocacy.

The right candidate for this post will be brilliant at forming positive relationships with children and young people. You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, adaptable to a wide range of contexts. You will enjoy working collaboratively with partners. You will be committed to children’s rights, inclusive working, equal opportunities, and believe that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity.

The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the West Central locality team at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively - bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change. Flexibility will be required given the remit of the role. Some evening and weekend work will be necessary, as will a full driving licence and access to transport.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you. For an informal conversation about this opportunity please contact Jamie McAnally, our Advocacy and Participation Manager for our West Central team on jmcanally@whocaresscotland.org.

We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of care who meet the criteria for the post.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It is the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

A bit about the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join Action for Children as a Senior Bid Writer, with responsibility for producing professionally written high scoring bid responses to meet defined quality standards.

Reporting to the Head of Business Development for Scotland, the successful candidate will predominantly be working on bids for the business in Scotland but will also work flexibly across the wider UK Business Development Team, as required.

The bids will be for a variety of service areas, and you will ensure that the written bid clearly articulates Action for Children's offer in a way that is compelling to provide a competitive advantage and is consistent with our brand and our passion to deliver service excellence.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

• Apply functional expertise to clearly articulate the quality of our service provision through written submissions.
• Work collaboratively and engagingly with internal colleagues to translate quality practice into conceptual model descriptors.
• Use a range of software packages to visually represent complex ideas in accessible ways.
• Work collaboratively and effectively with members of the Business Development team and Operational Colleagues.
• Interpret complex data to ensure the commissioners preference is evident in the written submission.
• Source business opportunities, including finding out about the service/sector for the written bid.
• Gather evidence to answer PQQ (Pre -Qualification Questionnaire) questions, including collecting data for bids.

Let's talk about you

• High level written skills to translate and structure complex information in a simple, straight forward, and logical way to support high scoring bids.
• Demonstrates the ability to lead or support the development of bids that win new business.
• Ability to gather and manage intelligence to inform the development of bid win narratives.
• Experience of bid work; transferable experience will also be acceptable.
• High level of IT skills including ability to use graphic design programmes to support bid production.
• Demonstrates the ability to lead or support the development of bids that win new business.

Benefits:

• 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave.
• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities.
• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages.
• Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover.
• Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailer's discounts.

About Aberlour Glasgow Early Intervention Service…

Our Aberlour Glasgow Early Intervention Service will work in partnership with children and young people (aged 12 years and under) and their families to develop relationship-based, strengths-focused whole family support.

What we are looking for....

We are looking for someone who is passionate about ensuring our young people live their best lives and have opportunities to develop and grow. Whilst not without its challenges and demands, this is a highly rewarding role. We are looking for someone who will contribute to the leadership, management, and development of the service for children, young people and their families in line with agreed objectives and assist with service review and evaluation. Working 37.5 hours per week, these hours will be worked flexibly Monday – Sunday 8am – 10pm to suit the needs of our families.

Ideally you will hold a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 8 or above, together with relevant experience of working directly with children or young people and their families.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. To have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees click here

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers. Find out more about our Employee Benefits and our commitment to Equality and Diversity here.

About Options Fife Lochwood Park

Aberlour Options Fife - Lochwood Park service, based in Kingseat, is a forever home for one young man who has complex needs. Our service is a safe space for not only our young man but for his family to spend meaningful time. Although there can be behaviours that challenge, it is the small steps of progress that this young person makes daily that makes our work meaningful. We are looking for someone to join our small team, who is a patient and understanding person. These are key skills for this role.

What we are looking for....

As someone who has built up experience working in residential childcare, you will have the confidence to guide and direct the provision of care for our young person.

When on shift, you will play a lead role, mentoring and supporting staff and being a role model, delivering excellence in the services we provide. You will assist in assessing, planning and delivering services, taking responsibility for ensuring that assessment and interventions are prepared, monitored and evaluated.

Engaging positively with our Young Person and their family you will plan and implement appropriate support. Sensitive and accurate reporting is a key responsibility and so you will have good written communication skills and the ability to learn how to use effectively, Aberlour’s recording system: Dynamics.

This role offers the opportunity to consolidate and build on your experience combined with the ability to enhance your skills and knowledge through training, for example, in Dyadic Developmental Practice.

As part of the management team you will play an active role in ensuring that shift duties are delegated and completed in accordance with service guidance. You will work 2 x 7.5 hour shifts per week as part of a Residential Rota.

Overnight sleep ins are part of the role, alongside an awake member of night staff.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Aberlour’s values are critical and drive everything we do. We will be looking for someone who can demonstrate how Aberlour’s values of Respect, Innovation, Integrity and Challenge will be visible in their practice. You must be comfortable working in an environment where Aberlour’s values are lived in practice.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.